The Wolf Among Us (Telltale's latest series)

Anyone else given this a spin? It's very similar to their other recent games like The Walking Dead, but with a gritty, excellently cel-shaded type graphics style with the color palette of an early 90s comic book. Essentially a super-gritty detective murder mystery adventure. It loosely follows the backstory for the comic series Fables, but you don't really have to know much about that going in; the game does an excellent job explaining and more importantly selling its setting (speaking as someone who has read all of one Fables book in my life, over ten years ago). It manages to neatly blend a lot of gritty noir-ish moments with outlandish, actually-funny fantasy elements. The voice acting is pretty great, which puts a nice cherry on top of everything else.

If you've played The Walking Dead, the game is fairly similar. It's a fairly low interactivity game wherein most of your actual play is picking dialogue lines (but the dialogues are great) and nicely dressed quicktime-type events (which are surprisingly not bad), but the storyline and characters are amazing and your decisions do really seem to have an impact on how things play out.

On the downside, the controls are a little wonky sometimes, but given the low amount of time you spend actually walking around in this episode, it's not a huge deal. The most serious complaint I have about the game is that they have the incredible temerity (i.e. standard Telltale episodic release model) to make me wait several months for the next installment.

I think I need to grab this ASAP. I've heard nothing but good things and I loved The Walking Dead even though I'm still on episode 4. Maybe I'll finish TWD first then pick this up. I love these Telltale games.

i have only played about 1/2 hour of this (XBOX360), but if you like TWD, you're going to like this one too. It looks like the story is going to be awesome and the world is very cool (i know nothing about the Fables world). Seems that it's still a little choppy as TWD was on the xbox, but i'm willing to overlook that due to the great story.

To any who has played it: does it have the same technical/design flaws as TWD? Namely, piss-slow character movement, unskippable cutscenes/dialogue, and no manual save system? The concept is great, but I'm not about to play another choose-your-own-adventure game which actively seeks to make replays as tedious as possible.

The concept is great, but I'm not about to play another choose-your-own-adventure game which actively seeks to make replays as tedious as possible.

The Walking Dead isn't a choose-your-own-adventure game with a web of alternate paths and endings. The purpose is to be a personal interation with an authored experience. It's not designed or meant to be replayed; the writer said as much.

You're critizing it for doing a poor implementation of a thing it's not.

The concept is great, but I'm not about to play another choose-your-own-adventure game which actively seeks to make replays as tedious as possible.

The Walking Dead isn't a choose-your-own-adventure game with a web of alternate paths and endings. The purpose is to be a personal interation with an authored experience. It's not designed or meant to be replayed; the writer said as much.

You're critizing it for doing a poor implementation of a thing it's not.

I'll note that this game seems to have breakpoints that can branch and change the story events based on this playthrough. The endpoint may be the same though, someone would have to try the other combo's.

The concept is great, but I'm not about to play another choose-your-own-adventure game which actively seeks to make replays as tedious as possible.

The Walking Dead isn't a choose-your-own-adventure game with a web of alternate paths and endings. The purpose is to be a personal interation with an authored experience. It's not designed or meant to be replayed; the writer said as much.

You're critizing it for doing a poor implementation of a thing it's not.

I'll note that this game seems to have breakpoints that can branch and change the story events based on this playthrough. The endpoint may be the same though, someone would have to try the other combo's.

With only episode 1 out so far, it's hard to say how much actual effect your choices have on the overall story. There are lots of mentions of "Such-and-such character will remember that you were mean to them" and a few more dramatic events, one of which can save the life of a character who winds up dead otherwise. I played it through twice and saw most of the variant paths, and didn't find it terribly unpleasant to do so. Also, while there are no manual saves per se, you can rewind the current chapter you're in to the latest (unannounced) checkpoint and you can also create separate save files if you want to replay it without erasing your previous game.

I'm trying to decide if I want to replay episode 1 (I probably will). But I'm curious for people that have actually done so... (DO NOT CLICK ON THE SPOILER IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED EP1/DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED)

Spoiler: show

I know the choice between Toad and Prince has major consequences (and I know what it is) - does capturing the Woodsman instead of Dee at the end make any change to who's head shows up next? (I rather liked Snow, so if its possible for her to 'not be dead' that'd be cool )

Yeah I tried both paths, just to get the achievement for getting all the Fables books....

Spoiler: show

still Snow. I thought it was a great twist actually, I really didn't see that coming because of how much they introduced her as kind of a sidekick and how many times she "remembered that".

With that said....this is the best "game" I've played all year. Period. Only 2 hours, but I did something I never do...bought the season pass right after I was done. I can only see it getting better from here. The source material is fantastic, the characters are all very interesting, the world itself is perfect, and the incredible music is just the cherry on top. It set the mood just right for me. I couldn't put this game down and was fully engrossed....I couldn't even sleep because I went to bed thinking about it. That's how good it is. It does have some of the same choppiness as TWD, but that didn't take anything away for me....my favorite experience in a long time.

The concept is great, but I'm not about to play another choose-your-own-adventure game which actively seeks to make replays as tedious as possible.

The Walking Dead isn't a choose-your-own-adventure game with a web of alternate paths and endings. The purpose is to be a personal interation with an authored experience. It's not designed or meant to be replayed; the writer said as much.

You're critizing it for doing a poor implementation of a thing it's not.

I'll note that this game seems to have breakpoints that can branch and change the story events based on this playthrough. The endpoint may be the same though, someone would have to try the other combo's.

That would be likely if they're following the Walking Dead formula. It's not about the endpoint, it's about the journey, and Telltale has said as much. And I think that's fair. To use an example, if I take one route to work and get splashed by a car driving through a puddle and screamed at by an angry bum, then the next day I take a different route and get free coffee from the stand because the operator likes me, and watch some cute dogs romping in the park, the whole tone of my day is different. Even though I still end up at work.

I really like what I've seen so far having played only the first fifteen minutes or so and gotten to the (real) title and credits. The game feels very film noir but the 80's-ish color palette is more reminiscent of 2011's drive.

Yea, there is one part in particular that was disturbing to me on that (because it's Bigby doing the action); but that seems to be the exception more than the rule.

Great game overall.

SPOILER ALERT - Do not read until you finish Episode 2.

Spoiler: show

I have difficulty seeing [the suspect they name at the end of Episode 2] being the Killer; how is this not a setup? I was actually thinking it is some Fable we've not seen yet - like The Headless Horseman; but this seems too subtle for someone like that. And does anyone know who the ginger is that we keep seeing? He's been in the background a couple of times now and I'm suspecting he is not just a resused resource.[e]: Edited the name out because I know some people have impulse control issues...

Yea, there is one part in particular that was disturbing to me on that (because it's Bigby doing the action); but that seems to be the exception more than the rule.

Great game overall.

SPOILER ALERT - Do not read until you finish Episode 2.

Spoiler: show

I have difficulty seeing [the suspect they name at the end of Episode 2] being the Killer; how is this not a setup? I was actually thinking it is some Fable we've not seen yet - like The Headless Horseman; but this seems too subtle for someone like that. And does anyone know who the ginger is that we keep seeing? He's been in the background a couple of times now and I'm suspecting he is not just a resused resource.[e]: Edited the name out because I know some people have impulse control issues...

I have read a couple of the comic books, and I think I need to dig through the ones my friend left in my garage now. The setting is fun.

Spoiler: show

I just played through the first two parts, and I totally agree with you that the suspect is a freak but can't be the killer. We'll be missing him yet.

While it is pretty clear that the freak revealed at the end of the episode is probably a red herring - either someone used a spell to pretend to be him, or he knows more then he's let on, thus far. Since the door was locked to the hotel room, and all. Lot of untruths and secrets in the land of Fable, thats for sure. I'm definitely going to have to go back through the game as an asshole one of these days. Probably after its all out.

Yep. It came out yesterday (my son pointed it out to me and has been ancy for it).

I never did TellTale's Walking Dead game/story - so I can't compare on the episode lengths. I was a bit disappointed as it seems a little shorter than what I want; but the length on this Episode is about the same as the previous one.

I have difficulty seeing [the suspect they name at the end of Episode 2] being the Killer; how is this not a setup? I was actually thinking it is some Fable we've not seen yet - like The Headless Horseman; but this seems too subtle for someone like that. And does anyone know who the ginger is that we keep seeing? He's been in the background a couple of times now and I'm suspecting he is not just a resused resource.[e]: Edited the name out because I know some people have impulse control issues...

Spoiler: show

He's possibly the boy who cried wolf, given his tie and the fact that he keeps showing up wherever the wolf goes (as the [only] taxi driver, as the guy by the sofa, in the hallway in front of his office, etc.).

Whether he's just a reused asset, an Easter Egg, or something more is hard to say at this point, but the next two episode titles may be related to him.

Also, although there are achievements and encyclopedia unlocks for replaying the game, the illusion of choice really breaks down on a second playthrough, much moreso than TWD.

I have difficulty seeing [the suspect they name at the end of Episode 2] being the Killer; how is this not a setup? I was actually thinking it is some Fable we've not seen yet - like The Headless Horseman; but this seems too subtle for someone like that. And does anyone know who the ginger is that we keep seeing? He's been in the background a couple of times now and I'm suspecting he is not just a resused resource.[e]: Edited the name out because I know some people have impulse control issues...

Spoiler: show

He's possibly the boy who cried wolf, given his tie and the fact that he keeps showing up wherever the wolf goes (as the [only] taxi driver, as the guy by the sofa, in the hallway in front of his office, etc.).

Whether he's just a reused asset, an Easter Egg, or something more is hard to say at this point, but the next two episode titles may be related to him.

Also, although there are achievements and encyclopedia unlocks for replaying the game, the illusion of choice really breaks down on a second playthrough, much moreso than TWD.

Yea, time will tell if that character is an Easter Egg or just a reused resource. I was mainly curious if people knew he was from the Fables comic series.

As for the illusion of choice; a second playthrough REALLY shows the general lack of it. That didn't stop me from redoing scenes several times though (mostly because I was thinking and the timer for a conversation option expired).

Protip - you can use the space bar to PAUSE the scene so you can read all the conversation options at your leisure. I only JUST figured this out last night. /facepalm

Finished episode 3 last night. Still enjoying this more than TWD (even though I liked it also)...it just has that something extra that makes me want to keep playing. The story doesn't seem like it's open to a lot of choice, but the main narrative is incredible. Reminds me of a good book in a way. Anyways (spoiler for the end of episode 3)...

Spoiler: show

Did anyone else have trouble hearing Bloody Mary in the last scene? I was fine hearing every other character, but when it came to her speaking, the rain seemed to drown her out. I tried to turn up the volume...no use. It just made the rain louder. I'm wondering if anyone else had this issue because it actually bothered me quite a bit when playing. I only know what she says at the end because I had to go look it up. Kinda lame in what was otherwise a great episode.

Finished episode 3 last night. Still enjoying this more than TWD (even though I liked it also)...it just has that something extra that makes me want to keep playing. The story doesn't seem like it's open to a lot of choice, but the main narrative is incredible. Reminds me of a good book in a way. Anyways (spoiler for the end of episode 3)...

Spoiler: show

Did anyone else have trouble hearing Bloody Mary in the last scene? I was fine hearing every other character, but when it came to her speaking, the rain seemed to drown her out. I tried to turn up the volume...no use. It just made the rain louder. I'm wondering if anyone else had this issue because it actually bothered me quite a bit when playing. I only know what she says at the end because I had to go look it up. Kinda lame in what was otherwise a great episode.

Spoiler: show

I didn't have any issue hearing that character. But, I tend to always have subtitles on anyway - because I hate not hearing background conversations when I'm in games.

Despite plenty of action and exposition, this one felt short to me. I think I might be on board with you folks who like it better than TWD2, though. I guess there's just one final episode in which we wrap up our wolf!

Yea, this 4th part felt more fleshed out to me than the previous two. I'm looking forward to the ending, and seeing if my suspicious mind is correct on a theory (although after this last chapter it makes my main suspicion mostly moot).

I'm talking about the 5th part! It apparently updated last night, to my surprise. When I got done with 4, I sat there annoyed that I had to wait for 5, then I checked the episode menu and it was there.